TV Review: GAME OF THRONES: Season 3, Episode 7: The Bear and the Maiden Fair

Game of Thrones The Bear and the Maiden Fair Review. Game of Thrones: Season 3, Episode 7: The Bear and the Maiden Fair was an episode of change and revelation for many characters.

Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie)’s interactions were beautiful to witness, one of the most fulfilling relationships this season, even better than Sansa Stark and Sandor “The Hound” Clegane’s ‘ship in season one and two of Game of Thrones.

Jaime Lannister has been reborn. When Brienne called Jamie Lannister “Ser Jaime”, it was as if he had been knighted all over again, a dormant id shaken loose and awakened.

When Ser Jaime jumped into the Bear pit, risked his own life, and shielded Brienne, his transformation was complete.

Arya Stark (Maisie Williams)’s return to her family at Riverun has been handled very poorly. Whether the fault lies with the Game of Thrones‘ scripts or the Band of Brothers is hard to determine.

Arya, two episodes ago, was going to be taken Riverrun at first light the following day. Next she was shown practicing archery well into mid-day in the following episode. In this episode, the Band of Brothers have still not taken her Riverurn. Arya Stark this season is far more dependent and less resourceful than in season one.

Theon Greyjoy is a fool, even more a fool than his ambitious and cruel George R. R. Martin novel incarnation. The Boy (Iwan Rheon) tricked Theon masterfully when they first meet with the first escape attempt. Then he played another game with Theon and cut off his finger at its conclusion. With those two variables and the fact that he slept continuously on a rack, why would he not instinctively know something was wrong with the comely duo of Miranda (Charlotte Hope) and Violet (Stephanie Becker).

Theon always loved women but where is his common sense? He does not even seem to possess a basic level of it. Once freed from the rack, why didn’t he immediately ask who his captive was and where they are? Why did he let Miranda put her hand down his pants? He was in a prison torture room, had been tortured and held in captivity there and his mind flowed toward coitus instead of escape? Really?

Very strange. He only asked one time for the duo’s help and didn’t try to make a run for it when he saw that it was only two girls in the room.

Who could it not occur to him that this is another trick?

It was such an unbelievable scene that had no basis even in Theon’s reality. After one trick and one sadistic game, how could Theon not detect something afoot the third time? He never asked himself how two girls gained access to the dungeon and further where they got the key to the torture room? He never asked why they were sent there after the skin had been pealed from his little finger?

The scene was entertaining (on-screen coitus usually is) with a gruesome ending but if Theon had been suspicious from the beginning, not trusted the girls, and asked them logical questions (e.g. where am I?), it would have been far better. By the way, was Theon inside Violet or was she just rubbing herself against the bulge in Theon’s pants?

The discussion between Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) about Tryion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and men satisfying women was like peeking into the window of two old friends talking. It was a common place conversation in a extraordinary situation (Sansa’s continued captivity in King’s Landing as a war raged on). It brought the show down to a recognizable level for the viewer.

Qyburn (Anton Lesser) is a character that is becoming more and more interesting, his backstory bearing shades of Victor Frankenstein’s.

The viewer probably had an inkling that Orell (Mackenzie Crook)’s real problem with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) might be that he had Ygritte (Rose Leslie)’s affection and this episode clarified it. Orell’s confession was heartfelt and cut right through Ygritte’s tough, sarcastic exterior. Perhaps that is what happens when Ygritte is caught by an emotional surprise.

About the author

Rollo Tomasi

A Political Science and MBA grad who started FilmBook during an eCommerce B-School course in 2008. Cinema and TV addict. Former writer at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and Alternative Film Guide. In addition to writing for FilmBook, he also edits the copy published on the website, manages its writing staff, manages the back-end operations, site finances, its social network accounts, and works with publicists, actors, and companies on press coverage and promotions. He has also created ProMovieBlogger.com and Trending Awards.com.